Oklahoma 2022 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB723 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/21/2021

                     
 
 
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
 
1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021) 
 
SENATE BILL 723 	By: Dahm 
 
 
 
 
 
AS INTRODUCED 
 
An Act relating to abortion; amending 59 O.S. 2 011, 
Sections 509 and 637, as last amended by Sections 36 
and 42, Chapter 161, O.S.L. 2020 ( 59 O.S. Supp. 2020, 
Sections 509 and 637), which relate to unprofessional 
conduct of physicians; broadening certain definitions 
to include certain acts; amending Se ction 4, Chapter 
159, O.S.L. 2012 (63 O. S. Supp. 2020, Section 1-
745.14), which relates to f etal heartbeat; reducing 
time period for certain requirements; deleting 
procedural provisions related to detection of fetal 
heartbeat; prohibiting abortion under ce rtain 
circumstances; amending Section 6, Chapter 159, 
O.S.L. 2012 (63 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 1-745.16), 
which relates to penalties; prohibiting issuance or 
renewal of physician license for certain acts; 
requiring State Board of Medical Licensure and 
Supervision and State Board of Osteopathic Ex aminers 
to revoke licenses for certain acts; providing for 
severability; updating statutory reference; providing 
for codification; and providing an effective date . 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE ST ATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     59 O.S. 2011, Section 509, as last 
amended by Section 36, Chapter 161, O.S.L. 2020 (59 O.S. Supp. 2020, 
Section 509), is amended to read as follows:   
 
 
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Section 509. The words “unprofessional conduct” as used in 
Sections 481 through 518.1 of this title are hereby dec lared to 
include, but shall not be limited to, the following: 
1.  Procuring, aiding or abetting a criminal operation; 
2.  The obtaining of any fee or offering to accept an y fee, 
present or other form of remuneration whatsoever, on the assurance 
or promise that a manifestly inc urable disease can or will be cured; 
3.  Willfully betraying a professional secret to the detriment 
of the patient; 
4.  Habitual intemperance or the h abitual use of habit -forming 
drugs; 
5.  Conviction or confession of, or plea of guilt y, nolo 
contendere, no contest or Alford plea to a felony or any offense 
involving moral turpitude; 
6.  All advertising of medical busin ess in which statements are 
made which are grossly untrue or improbable and cal culated to 
mislead the public; 
7.  Conviction or confession of , or plea of guilty, nolo 
contendere, no contest or Alford plea to a crime involving v iolation 
of: 
a. the antinarcotic or prohibition laws and regulat ions 
of the federal government, 
b. the laws of this state, 
c. State Board of Health r ules, or   
 
 
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d. a determination by a judge or jury; 
8.  Dishonorable or immoral conduct which is likely to dece ive, 
defraud, or harm the public; 
9.  The commission of any act which is a violation of the 
criminal laws of any state when such act is connected wit h the 
physician’s practice of medicine.  A complaint, indictment or 
confession of a criminal violation shal l not be necessary for the 
enforcement of this provision.  Proof of the commission of the act 
while in the practice of medicine or under the guise of the practice 
of medicine shall be unprofessional conduct; 
10.  Failure to keep complete and accurate recor ds of purchase 
and disposal of controlled drugs or of narcotic d rugs; 
11.  The writing of false or fictitiou s prescriptions for any 
drugs or narcotics declared by the law s of this state to be 
controlled or narcotic drugs; 
12.  Prescribing or administering a drug or treatment without 
sufficient examination and the estab lishment of a valid physician -
patient relationship and not prescribing in a safe, med ically 
accepted manner; 
13.  The violation, or attempted violation, direct or indirect, 
of any of the provisions of the Oklahoma Allopat hic Medical and 
Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act, either as a principal, 
accessory or accomplice;   
 
 
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14.  Aiding or abetting, directly or indirectly, the practice of 
medicine by any person not duly authorized under the laws of this 
state; 
15.  The inability to practice medicine with reas onable skill 
and safety to patients by reaso n of age, illness, drunkenness, 
excessive use of drugs, narcot ics, chemicals, or any other type of 
material or as a result of any mental or physical condition.  In 
enforcing this section the State Board of Medica l Licensure and 
Supervision may, upon probab le cause, request a physician to submit 
to a mental or physica l examination by physicians designated by it.  
If the physician refuses to submit to t he examination, the Board 
shall issue an order requiring the phy sician to show cause why the 
physician will not submit to the examination and shall s chedule a 
hearing on the order within thirty (30) days after notice is served 
on the physician, exclusive o f the day of service.  The ph ysician 
shall be notified by either personal service or by certified mail 
with return receipt requested.  At the hearing , the physician and 
the physician’s attorney are entitled to present any testimony and 
other evidence to sh ow why the physician should n ot be required to 
submit to the examination.  After a complete hearing, the Boa rd 
shall issue an order either requiring the physician to subm it to the 
examination or withdrawing the request for examination.  The medical 
license of a physician ordered to su bmit for examination may be   
 
 
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suspended until the results of the examination are received and 
reviewed by the Board; 
16. a. Prescribing, dispensing or administering of controlled 
substances or narcotic drugs in excess of the amou nt 
considered good medical pr actice, 
b. prescribing, dispensing or administering controlled 
substances or narcotic drugs without medical need in 
accordance with pertinent licensing board standards, 
or 
c. prescribing, dispensing or administering opioid drug s 
in excess of the maximum li mits authorized in Section 
2-309I of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes; 
17.  Engaging in physical conduct with a patient which is sexual 
in nature, or in any verbal behavior which is seductive or sexually 
demeaning to a patient ; 
18.  Failure to maintain an office record for each patient whi ch 
accurately reflects the evaluation, treat ment, and medical necessity 
of treatment of the patient; 
19.  Failure to provide necessary ongoing medical treatment when 
a doctor-patient relationship has been established, whi ch 
relationship can be severed by e ither party providing a reasonable 
period of time is granted; or 
20.  Failure to prov ide a proper and safe medical facility 
setting and qualified assistive personnel for a recognized medical   
 
 
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act, including but not limited to an initial in-person patient 
examination, office surgery, diagnostic servic e or any other medical 
procedure or treatment.  Adequate medic al records to support 
diagnosis, procedure, treatment or prescribed medications must b e 
produced and maintained ; or 
21.  Violation of the provisions o f the Heartbeat Informed 
Consent Act. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY    59 O.S. 2011, Sectio n 637, as last 
amended by Section 42, Chapter 161, O.S.L. 2020 ( 59 O.S. Supp. 2020, 
Section 637), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 637. A.  The State Board of Osteopathic Examiners may 
refuse to admit a person to an examination or may refuse to issu e or 
reinstate or may suspend or revoke any licen se issued or reinstated 
by the Board upon proof that the applicant or holder of such a 
license: 
1.  Has obtained a license, license renewal or au thorization to 
sit for an examination, as the case may be, thr ough fraud, 
deception, misrepresentation or bribe ry; or has been granted a 
license, license renewal or authorization to sit for an examination 
based upon a material mistake of fact; 
2.  Has engaged in the use or employment of dishonest y, fraud, 
misrepresentation, false promise, false pretense, unethical conduct 
or unprofessional conduct, as may be determined by the Board, in the   
 
 
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performance of the functions or duties of an osteopathic physician , 
including but not limited to the followin g: 
a. obtaining or attempting to obtain any fee, charge, 
tuition or other compensation by fraud, deceptio n or 
misrepresentation; willfully and continually 
overcharging or overtreating patients; or charging for 
visits to the physician’s office which did not occur 
or for services which were not rendered, 
b. using intimidation, coercion or deception to obtain or 
retain a patient or discourage the use of a second 
opinion or consultation, 
c. willfully performing inappropr iate or unnecessary 
treatment, diagnostic tests or osteopathic medical or 
surgical services, 
d. delegating professional responsibilities to a pers on 
who is not qualified by training, skill, competency, 
age, experience or licensure to perform them, noting 
that delegation may only occur within an a ppropriate 
doctor-patient relationship, wherein a proper patient 
record is maintained including, but not limited to, at 
the minimum, a current history and physical, 
e. misrepresenting that any disease, ailment , or 
infirmity can be cured by a method, proced ure, 
treatment, medicine or device,   
 
 
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f. acting in a manner which result s in final disciplinary 
action by any professional society or association or 
hospital or medical staff of such hospital in this or 
any other state, whether agreed to voluntarily or not, 
if the action was in any way related to professional 
conduct, professional competence, malpractice or any 
other violation of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Medicine 
Act, 
g. signing a blank prescription form; or dispensing , 
prescribing, administering or otherwise distributing 
any drug, controlled substance or other treatment 
without sufficient examination or the est ablishment of 
a physician-patient relationship, or for other than 
medically accepted therapeutic or experiment al or 
investigational purpose duly author ized by a state or 
federal agency, or not in good faith to relieve pai n 
and suffering, or not to treat an ailment, physical 
infirmity or disease, or violating any state or 
federal law on controlled dangerous substan ces 
including, but not limited to, prescr ibing, dispensing 
or administering opioid drugs in excess of the maxim um 
limits authorized in Section 2 -309I of Title 63 of the 
Oklahoma Statutes,   
 
 
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h. engaging in any sexual activity within a physician -
patient relationship, 
i. terminating the care of a pati ent without adequate 
notice or without making other arrangements for t he 
continued care of the patient, 
j. failing to furnish a copy of a patient ’s medical 
records upon a proper request from the patient or 
legal agent of the patient or another physician; o r 
failing to comply with any other law relating to 
medical records, 
k. failing to comply with any subpoen a issued by the 
Board, 
l. violating a probation agreement or order with this 
Board or any other agency, and 
m. failing to keep complete and accurate re cords of 
purchase and disposal of controlled drugs or narcotic 
drugs; 
3.  Has engaged in gross negligence , gross malpractice or gross 
incompetence; 
4.  Has engaged in repeated acts of negligence, malpractice or 
incompetence; 
5.  Has been finally adjudicate d and found guilty, o r entered a 
plea of guilty or nolo contendere in a criminal prosecution, for any 
offense reasonably related to the qualifications, functions or   
 
 
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duties of an osteopathic physician, whether or not sentence is 
imposed, and regardless of t he pendency of an app eal; 
6.  Has had the authority to engage in the a ctivities regulated 
by the Board revoked, suspended, restricted, modified or limited, or 
has been reprimanded, warned or censured, probated or ot herwise 
disciplined by any other state or federal agency wheth er or not 
voluntarily agreed to by the physician including, but not limited 
to, the denial of licensure, surrender of the license, permit or 
authority, allowing the license, permit or authority to expire or 
lapse, or discontinuing or l imiting the practice of osteopathic 
medicine pending disposition of a complaint or completion of an 
investigation; 
7.  Has violated, or failed to comply with provisions of any act 
or regulation administered by the B oard; 
8.  Is incapable, for medical or ps ychiatric or any othe r good 
cause, of discharging the functions of an osteopathic physician in a 
manner consistent with the public ’s health, safety and welfare; 
9.  Has been guilty of advertising by means of knowing ly false 
or deceptive statements; 
10.  Has been guilty of adve rtising, practicing, or attempting 
to practice under a name other than one ’s own; 
11.  Has violated or refused to comply with a lawful order of 
the Board;   
 
 
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12.  Has been guilty of habitual drunke nness, or habitual 
addiction to the use o f morphine, cocaine o r other habit-forming 
drugs; 
13.  Has been guilty of personal offensive behavior, wh ich would 
include, but not be limited to obscenity, lewdness and molestation; 
and 
14.  Has been adjudicated to be insane, or incompetent, or 
admitted to an institution for the treatment of psychiatric 
disorders; and 
15.  Has violated the provisions of the Heartbeat Informed 
Consent Act. 
B.  The State Board of Osteopathic Examiners shall neither 
refuse to renew, nor suspend, nor revoke any license, howeve r, for 
any of these causes, unless the person accused has been given a t 
least twenty (20) days ’ notice in writing of the charge against him 
or her and a public hearing by the Board provided, three -fourths 
(3/4) of a quorum present at a meeting may vote to suspend a license 
in an emergency situation if the licensee affected i s provided a 
public hearing within thirty (30) days of the emergency suspension. 
C.  The State Board of Osteopathic Examiners shall have the 
power to order or subpoena the attendance of witnesses, the 
inspection of records and premises and the production o f relevant 
books and papers for the investigation of matters that may come 
before them.  The presiding officer of the Board shall have the   
 
 
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authority to compel the giving of testimony as is conferred on 
courts of justice. 
D.  Any osteopathic physician in th e State of Oklahoma whose 
license to practice osteopathic medicine is revoked or suspended 
under this section shall have the right to seek judici al review of a 
ruling of the Board pursua nt to the Administrat ive Procedures Act. 
E.  The Board may enact rules and regulations pursuant to the 
Administrative Procedures Act setting out additional acts of 
unprofessional conduct; which acts shall be grounds for refusal to 
issue or reinstate, or fo r action to condition , suspend or revoke a 
license. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     Section 4, Chapter 159, O.S.L. 
2012 (63 O.S. Supp. 20 20, Section 1-745.14), is amended to read as 
follows: 
Section 1-745.14. A. Any abortion provider who knowingly 
performs or induces any abortion shall com ply with the requirements 
of the Heartbeat Informed Consent Act. 
B.  Prior to a woman giving informed consent to having any part 
of an abortion performed or induce d, if the pregnancy is at least 
eight (8) six (6) weeks after fertilization, the abortion pro vider 
who is to perform or induce the abortion or an agent of the abortion 
provider shall tell the woman that it may be possible to make 
determine if the embryonic or fetal heartbeat of the unborn child is 
audible for the pregnant woman to hear and ask the woman if she   
 
 
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would like to hear the heartbeat.  If the woman would like to hear 
the heartbeat, the abortion provider shall, using a Doppler fetal 
heart rate monitor, make the embryonic or fetal heartbeat of the 
unborn child audible for the pregnant woman to hear.  No physician 
shall perform an abortion if the physician determines the embryonic 
or fetal heartbeat is audible.  An abortion provider , or an agent of 
the abortion provider shall not be in violat ion of the requirements 
of this subsection if: 
1.  The provider or agent has attempted, consistent with 
standard medical practice, to make the embryonic or fetal heartbeat 
of the unborn child audible for the pregnant woman to hear using a 
Doppler fetal heart rate monitor; 
2.  That attempt does not result in the heartbeat being made 
audible; and 
3.  The provider has offered to attempt to make the heartbeat 
audible at a subsequent date. 
C.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the 
pregnant woman from not listening to the sounds detected by the 
Doppler fetal heart rate monitor pursuant to the requirements of 
subsection B of this section. 
SECTION 4.     AMENDATORY     Section 6, Chapter 1 59, O.S.L. 
2012 (63 O.S. Supp. 20 20, Section 1-745.16), is amended to read as 
follows:   
 
 
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Section 1-745.16. A.  Any person who intentionally or 
recklessly performs or induces an abortion in violation of the 
Heartbeat Informed Consent Act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. No 
penalty shall be asses sed against the woman upon whom the abortion 
is performed or induced or attempted to be performed or induced. 
B.  Any woman upon whom an abortion has been performed or 
induced in violation of this act the Heartbeat Informed co nsent Act, 
or the father of the unborn child who was the subject of such an 
abortion, may maintain an action agains t the person who performed or 
induced the abortion in intentional or reckless violation of this 
act for actual and punitive damages.  Any wom an upon whom an 
abortion has been attempted in violation of this act may maintain an 
action against the person who attempted to perform or induce the 
abortion in an intentional or reckless violation of this act for 
actual and punitive damages. 
C.  A cause of action for injunctive relief against any person 
who has intentionally or recklessly violated this act the Heartbeat 
Informed Consent Act may be maintained by the woman upon whom an 
abortion was performed or induced in violation of this act; by any 
person who is the spouse, parent, sibling , or guardian of, or a 
current or former licensed health care pr ovider of, the woman upon 
whom an abortion has bee n performed or induced in violation of this 
act; by a district attorney with appropriate jurisdiction; or by the 
Attorney General.  The injunction shall prev ent the abortion   
 
 
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provider from performing or indu cing further abortions in violation 
of this act in the state. 
D.  If judgment is rendered in favor of the plaintiff in an 
action described in this section, the court shall also render 
judgment for a reasonab le attorney fee in favor of the plaintiff 
against the defendant. 
E.  If judgment is rendered in fav or of the defendant and the 
court finds that the plaintiff ’s suit was frivolous and brought in 
bad faith, the court shall also render judgment for a reasonab le 
attorney fee in favor of the defendant against the plaintiff. 
F.  No damages or attorney fee may be assessed against the woman 
upon whom an abortion was performed or attempted to be performed or 
induced except in accordance with subsection E of this sec tion. 
G.  In addition to all other penalties pres cribed by this 
section, a physician who intentiona lly or recklessly performs or 
induces an abortion in violation of the Heartbeat Informed Consent 
Act shall be prohibited from obtaining or renewing a license to 
practice medicine in this state.  The State B oard of Medical 
Licensure and Supervision shall re voke the license of a medical 
doctor who intentionally or recklessly performs or induces an 
abortion in violation of the Heartbeat Informed Consent Act.  The 
State Board of Osteopathic Examiners shall revok e the license of a 
doctor of osteopathy who intent ionally or recklessly performs or   
 
 
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induces an abortion in violation of the Heartbeat Informed Consent 
Act. 
SECTION 5.     NEW LAW     A new se ction of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statu tes as Section 1-745.20 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
If some or all of the provisions of Section 1, 2, 3 or 4 of this 
act are ever temporarily or permane ntly restrained or enjoined by 
court order, the remaining provisions of such section shall be 
enforced as though the restrained or enjoined provisions had not 
been adopted; provided, however, if such temporary or permanent 
restraining order or injunction i s stayed or dissolved, or otherwise 
ceases to have effect, such provisions shall have full force a nd 
effect. 
SECTION 6.  This act shall become effective November 1, 202 1. 
 
58-1-1462 DC 1/21/2021 1:56:17 PM